Baba's Teachings Series

The Baba's Teachings series features discussions and interviews with Pandit Sri Ananta Das Babaji Maharaja – one of the leading teachers of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition – on a wide range of topics on theology, philosophy and the practice of spiritual life.

• Sequence of smarana – On the sequence of remembering the pastimes of Krishna.
• Radha as Shyamaa – A description of Radha as the shyama-heroine.
• Sakhis and nayikas – On the descriptions of the eight sakhis in Dhyanachandra's manual.
• On lila-smarana – On remembering the pastimes of Gaura and Govinda; memorizing Vilapa-kusumanjali.
• The glory of the manjaris – In praise of the services of the divine handmaidens of Sri Radha.

• The story of Siddha Baba of Ranabari – Radha's order to stay in Vraja and her punishment for leaving.
• Worship of Govardhan – Circumambulating Govardhan; remembering the pastime-places.
• The water of Radha-kunda – The glory of the waters of Radha-kunda, the water-pastimes.
• Come to Vraja – Come to Vraja in the month of Kartika!

• Four moods of devotion – What are the moods of devotion Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu brought to the world?
• Sphurti and rati – Arriving to the stage of loving attachment – meditation, inner visions and revelations.
• Srimad Bhagavata – Is there manjari-bhava to be found in the text? Why should one study the whole Bhagavata?

• Guru and the karma of the disciple – Does the guru carry the weight of the disciples' sins after initiation?
• Harinama and guru-pranali – Praying to the holy names, seeking the shelter of a real guru-pranali, a succession of spiritual masters.
• Qualities of a sat-guru – The guru should be realized and belong to a disciplic succession.
• Hiding one's guru – Should the guru be advertised, or should the guru be hidden?

• Worship of Narayana – Why is Lord Narayana worshiped in Gaurachandra's pastimes, although we know it isn't recommended for sadhakas?
• Gaura-avatar – The nature of Gaura-avatar, discussion on Virachandra and Srinivasa who are said to be his avatars.
• Gaura in Nilachala – How do we understand Nilachala, or Jagannath Puri, where Gaura displayed his final pastimes?

• Different kinds of sadhana – Why does one engage in many different kinds of spiritual practices – wouldn't one be enough?
• The meaning of sankirtan – On the chanting and remembering of the sacred names of Krishna.
• The writings of the Goswamis – Discussion on books that are recommended for reading by everyone.
• Remembrance and inner purity – Purification of the heart as a prerequisite for remembrance and meditation (smarana).

Prior to the advent of Sri Chaitanya, the two lakes that were to become the most sacred places of Gaudiya Vaishnava pilgrimage – Radha-kunda and Shyama-kunda – were lost to the world, their whereabouts unknown.

In the third episode of the series, Babaji Maharaja narrates the story of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's quest to discover these two ponds in the land of Vraja.

The abode of Krishna's pastimes appears in three distinct features, namely prakata-prakash or the divine manifest aspect, aprakata-prakash or the divine unmanifest aspect, and drishyamana-prakash, or the aspect visible for the mundane eye.

In the second episode of the series, Babaji Maharaja narrates the glories of Vraja-dhama, the most sacred of India's holy places, describing its history and the related theology.

• What is Gaudiya Vaishnavism? An overview of the position of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition in the world of Hinduism: the paths of karma (action), jnana (knowledge) and bhakti (devotion).
• What is matter, what is spirit? Discovering the difference between the two, understanding the methodology of realization.
• Who is Radha? Explaining the theology of Radha, the original shakti, or potency, of Krishna, the original Godhead.